Ten care homes still with COVID outbreaks

While infection levels generally have dropped significantly in the west, many care homes are still in “surge” mode, with partnership work being ramped up to protect residents and staff against any resurgence of the virus.

Bob Brown, Trust Director of Primary Care and Older People’s Services said that protecting older patients was a key part of the first phase of the Trust’s plan to re-start services.

Mr Brown said the close partnership work between its own care support team and care home staff and managers over recent months was something they wished to build on. “There are over 60 care homes we have worked very closely with throughout this last number of months. There are 10 homes in the Western Trust this week who are in an outbreak situation, with two or more residents or members of staff who have symptoms of COVID and we continue to work very closely with those homes in particular and with all homes,” he said.

The Trust has been working with homes on everything from testing, monitoring outbreaks and staffing to PPE, infection control and preparing for future surges. “Overall the situation has improved throughout last four to six weeks,” Mr Brown said. “The Western Trust has never had more than 13 homes in an outbreak situation.”

An NI-wide review on visiting care homes is due to report within days.

Meanwhile Trust Chief Executive Anne Kilgallen warned: “COVID-19 remains a public health risk to our population. Although at the moment all of the signals are that the infection rates are low, nonetheless the virus is in our community and if we do not continue to pay attention to social distancing, hand hygiene and cough etiquette we will very quickly find ourselves facing an increase in infection.”